


i'm waiting for a sign (from one of my kind)

by amaronith



Category: Critical Role (Web Series), UnDeadwood (Web Series)
Genre: M/M, UnDeadwood Mini-series (Critical Role)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-04
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2021-01-22 15:19:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21304232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amaronith/pseuds/amaronith
Summary: "Problem, Reverend?""Two of them."
Relationships: Reverend Matthew Mason/Clayton Sharpe
Comments: 18
Kudos: 162





	i'm waiting for a sign (from one of my kind)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [losebetter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/losebetter/gifts).

> The Undeadwood Discord is full of menaces and I love each and every one of them.
> 
> Set after Episode 3 "I Got My Wish"-ish.

Those two bastards were waiting in front of the church for him.

_Just when I thought that life was behind me…_, Mason thought with a bitter twist in his gut.

Clayton came up next to him. "Problem, Reverend?"

"Two of them - those two men have been following me around all over Deadwood. Claiming to know things about me."

"Want me to run them off?"

Matthew ran a hand over his hair. "I thought I had done so with my intimidation earlier, before all that mess with Wild Bill."

"You? Intimidated them?"

Matthew frowned at Clayton. "Why is that so unbelievable?"

"I believe you just fine, Reverend. How about I go with you back to the Church anyway? I have an idea that might just get them to go away - I'll just need you to trust me and play along with my lead."

Matthew gave Clayton a grateful smile. "Easy enough."

Clayton frowned at him for a long moment, but Matthew was used to that. "Right. Let's go."

As they got closer to the Church, those two men doing a rather piss-poor job of 'hiding' as soon as Matthew and Clayton approached, Clayton startled Matthew by speaking up, first. "Reverend, I'm real thankful you agreed to meet with me like this."

Clayton's voice was doing something odd, and it took Matthew a second to realize it was slightly pitched, to carry the sound without seeming like that's what he was doing - the man really was very clever.

"Of course, Mr. Sharpe - you know I'm always here with an open ear for you."

"There's just something weighing on my heart - it's been there for a bit now, and, well, if there ever was anyone to speak to about it, it's you."

Matthew smiled at Clayton fondly - he couldn't help it. "I'm glad you think so highly of me."

"More than that. Reverend, I-" Clayton turned to face him. "I know you're a preacher - a man of the cloth. What's God have to say about men who love other men?"

Matthew blinked at him. "God is love, Mr. Sharpe. If two men love each other, that is a celebration of the Lord - just so for two women, as well as a man and a woman. What brought this on? You have feelings for another man?"

"Not just any man, Reverend. One I should know better than to even consider."

Matthew watched Clayton, frowning. "Why?"

"He's a good man. Too good for me."

"Now that is not true, Mr. Sharpe. You're a better man than you give yourself credit for."

"Good enough for you, Reverend?"

Matthew gasped as Clayton moved in close to him, gloved hand coming up to cradle his cheek. "...Clayton."

"I've been thinking of you, Reverend - _Matthew_. Your laughter haunts me, I see your smile when I close my eyes at night - you telling me you're okay with that?"

Behind him, Matthew could hear the two men murmuring to one another.

"I stand by what I said - you're a better man than you give yourself credit for. I am honored that I managed to catch your eye, but surely-"

Clayton backed him up against the front of the church and kissed him, his mustache tickling Matthew's cheek. "No, Reverend. It's you. God forgive me for my lustful thoughts of you, but I need you like a fish needs water."

Matthew tipped his head back as Clayton kissed along his jaw. "Mister Sharpe, I think we had better get inside to discuss this further."

Behind them, the two men snuck away, hissing at one another that they weren't "sticking around to listen to other people fucking when we could be getting fucked."

"Clayton," Matthew whispered. "They're gone." 

Clayton pressed closer to Matthew. "You sure?"

"Positive."

In almost an instant, Clayton pulled away, straightening his coat. "That should keep 'em away for now."

Matthew was grabbing Clayton's hand before he could get much farther away. "Well, you can't exactly go back to town now - they're expecting us to be, ah, intimate. You can't go back until morning, at least, Clayton."

"Reverend-"

"What happened to calling me Matthew?" 

"I don't know what game you're playing-"

"No games, Clayton. You wish to talk about love and lustful thoughts?" Matthew asked, voice soft as he brushed back the other man's hair. "I have a few that might shock you."

Clayton's blue eyes were wide in his face, like the situation had gotten away from him, somehow. "Reverend?"

"I meant every word I said earlier. The question is: did you?"

Clayton watched him - _always watching, did he ever stop?_ \- before clearing his throat. "...You, ah, mentioned continuing the conversation inside."

Matthew smiled at him. "I did."

"Maybe we should. Do that, I mean."

"Of course."

They didn't do much more talking once they were inside - then again, they hadn't needed to.

\--

Matthew woke up to the smell of coffee, and the sight of Clayton regrettably dressed, though it was still the most dressed down Matthew had ever seen the man before last night.

"Clayton, it's still so early…"

"I know, but we should get a move on and meet the others at the Gem - I want to get there ahead of them and figure out what the rumor mill is saying about us."

Matthew sighed, but nodded - best to get out ahead of something like this, and it wasn't as though the two gentlemen from the previous night had _stopped_ being a problem. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and rolled his head and shoulders, perhaps stretching for a bit longer than normal if only to enjoy the way Clayton watched him, before getting ready for the day himself.

He was buttoning up his shirt, managing to get halfway completed when Clayton's eyes sharpened on the door just before there was a knock at it.

"Reverend?" Miriam's voice was high and sweet as she called to him through the door. "We've been searching all over for Mr. Sharpe and the last anyone saw of him he was walking you back here last night."

"He's here, actually." Matthew opened the door to her. "We were up late talking into the night, and I felt terrible to send him back out so late, so he stayed here. Next thing I knew I was waking up to him making coffee. Between you and me, I think Clayton is the only one who wakes up before God does."

"If only to keep eyes on Him, Reverend," Clayton said, his voice dry and mild.

Matthew chuckled, and Miriam stared at the both of them. "Up late talking, huh?"

"Indeed."

"Based on that love bite you're sporting on your neck, Reverend, I think I know exactly what the topic of conversation was. You two freshen up and meet us over at the Gem for some breakfast, all right?"

Matthew was flushed a pretty pink color as Clayton nearly spat out his coffee across the room. "Noted, Miss Miriam."

Clayton coughed as he nodded to her, and she wiggled her fingers at him with an impish smile before turning and heading away, leaving Matthew to close the door behind her.

"...so much for getting out ahead of the rumors."

"Just 'tween you and me, Matthew, I don't think either God or myself can get up early enough to get out ahead of Miriam Landisman. She'll keep it from getting out of hand, I suppose."

"Then I should count myself lucky to count her among my friends and leave it with her." Matthew kissed him, short and quick. "Finish your coffee, dearheart, and let's not keep our friends waiting."

And if before heading out to the Gem, Clayton stopped Matthew and kissed him as he made sure his collar hid the mark Clayton had left last night, that was between them.


End file.
